Episode Discussion: Chain of Command Parts 1 and 2

[Graham Kennedy]

I didn't like Jellico much, but Riker behaved very poorly.

Take the shift change. Riker handled it terribly. Jellico gave him an order. In preparing to implement it, he found that it would cause major problems. So he held off on implementing it and took the gripes to the captian. Reasonable enough... but it puts him in a position where he's essentially disobeyed an order, or at least looks like he is.

What he SHOULD have done is say "the shift change is ready to go and delta shift will be on duty as ordered sir, but we have had a lot of issues with the changeover. Here's a list of them for you to look over. If anything strikes you as particularly problematic, everyone is ready to revert back to the old system at your command."

That way he's obeyed the order, but he's also done his job by notifying the captain of potential problems, and shown that he's ready and willing to implement whatever solution the captain wants to. That's how a real subordinate does things, IMO.

[Mikey]

Agreed 100%. Jellico may have been a pompous ass - especially compared to Picard's style - but he's the captain. What he says goes, regardless of whether he's a guy you'd invite out for a few beers. In addition to insubordination, on a personal level Riker just acted like a petulant child with an unpopular babysitter - "You're not my mom, so I don't have to listen to you!" The scene about him forcing Jellico to "ask nicely" for Riker topilot the shuttle sortie was obviously meant to show Riker having a moral victory over Jellico, but it just made him look like a poor officer and an unconscionable a**hole.

[Captain Seafort]

The scene about him forcing Jellico to "ask nicely" for Riker topilot the shuttle sortie was obviously meant to show Riker having a moral victory over Jellico, but it just made him look like a poor officer and an unconscionable a**hole.

In my mind it showed the opposite - that Jellico was prepared to swallow his pride and ask Riker to fly the mission, and Riker's response was gloating about that.

[Mikey]

The scene about him forcing Jellico to "ask nicely" for Riker topilot the shuttle sortie was obviously meant to show Riker having a moral victory over Jellico, but it just made him look like a poor officer and an unconscionable a**hole.

In my mind it showed the opposite - that Jellico was prepared to swallow his pride and ask Riker to fly the mission, and Riker's response was gloating about that.

That's what I meant - that it made Riker look like a poor officer and an uncoscionable a**hole.

[kostmayer]

Indeed, Riker should have been more respectful of the fact that Jellico was willing to ask for his help. Jellico didn't need to, Geordi had already told him he could fly the mission.

[Deepcrush]

LaForge should have been the pilot and Riker in the brig under charges. Done deal.

[Mark]

At what point before this did Riker become such a great pilot to begin with?

[Captain Seafort]

Titan's Turn wasn't mentioned before, but the fact that Riker could fly came up in "The Outcast" and "The Host". Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

[Mark]

But isn't piloting a skill MOST Starfleeters have? Who'd have thought he'd be a top gun

[steamrunner]

I agree. There didn't seem to be a shortage of crew with piloting skills...hell, even Wesley could do it

Seems to me there were multiple episodes and many novels making note of Riker's exceptional piloting skills...

[Captain Seafort]

But isn't piloting a skill MOST Starfleeters have? Who'd have thought he'd be a top gun

I think the difference is that Riker (and La Forge and Jellico for that matter) can actually fly a shuttle, rather than simply programming a destination and pressing go.

[Sionnach Glic]

Yeah, that seems to be a far rarer skill. Paris was considered odd when he wanted the Delta Flyer to have conventional controls, for example.

[kostmayer]

I think the difference is that Riker (and La Forge and Jellico for that matter) can actually fly a shuttle, rather than simply programming a destination and pressing go.

Yeah, Geordi would never do such a thing.



Sorry, but that scene still cracks me up.

[Mark]

[Deepcrush]